


In your sleep

by Anaelita



Series: It takes time [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Book 3: Fire, Canon Universe, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Feelings Realization, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Set at the end of the series finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-12
Updated: 2019-02-12
Packaged: 2019-10-24 23:21:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17713610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anaelita/pseuds/Anaelita
Summary: Katara tends to Zuko's injuries after his fight with Azula. The Gaang reunites after the war and among them a worried Sokka...





	In your sleep

Sokka enters Zuko's room once Toph is out of it, since his sister asked them not to barge in all at once.

Katara is sat beside Zuko, who's half immersed in a bathtub full of mildly warm water. She hovers her hands over the prince's half-naked body, insisting on the star-shaped scar on his chest, and making the water glowing of a light blue hue.

Sokka's heart tightens at seeing the powerful bender inanimate. He helps himself towards his sister, with the support of his crutch, mindful of his broken leg.

She interrupts her healing, offering Sokka a sad smile. "Hi, Sokka", she says in a tired voice. "Your leg..."

"Hey." He sits next to her. "It's okay, it'll get better in a matter of weeks."

"No, I can heal you", she offers, already bending water out of the tub.

"I can wait, I think you've got a more urgent patient to attend to." Sokka's eyes slide to Zuko's dormant form. "How is he doing ?" His voice comes out raspy, a testament to how concerned he is.

The water returns to the bathtub. "He's been out for almost three days... I'm doing all I can though", Katara assures.

"I trust you. But you should get some sleep, or you won't be able to help him any more."

Katara sighs and leans her head to rest on Sokka's shoulder. "He took a lightning blow from Azula to save me."

Sokka's heart drops. _Zuko... Not only you helped us fight some of the most powerful benders ever, but you saved my sister when nobody else could. Please wake up so I can thank you and tell you how much I respect you..._ His shoulders drop a little, but not enough to stop supporting Katara.

She murmurs, "You would have been so proud..."

Sokka frowns, "What do you mean ?"

"She challenged him to an Agni Kai and they went all out, Zuko's fire clashing against Azula's blue one. It was scarily impressive."

Sokka softly smiles. "Yeah, he's come a long way to help us, but in the end, we never could have done it without him."

Katara yawns.

"Hey", Sokka gently pats her shoulder, "Go to sleep, I'll watch him."

"Are you sure-"

"Come on, the bags under your eyes have bags, okay ? Go get some rest." He pats her back, motioning to the door with a comforting smile.

Katara sighs, aware it's no use to try and argue with her brother when he's got something in mind. She gets up and makes her way to the outside of the room, pausing at the door to turn her head around and look at the teens. She sadly hunches her shoulders and exits the room, closing the door behind her.

Sokka remains in silence, watching Zuko's chest faintly move as he breathes quietly. _Buddy, it's not right to see you like that. You're strong, you're better than this. Wake up._ He can't keep his eyes from wandering to Zuko's fresh scar, all puckered reddish skin marring his otherwise perfect body, can't help but wonder how much it hurts, can't help his heart from tightening at the idea that he may not see his friend alive anymore. Tears prickle at the corners of his eyes and he grabs Zuko's hand in the water, holding onto it tightly. "Just, you know, don't leave us. You're strong, I know it", he murmurs, "Katara is a skilled healer, I trust her too, all you have to do is open your eyes."

Zuko remains immobile.

"Shit... I'm losing it. Of course you can't hear me", Sokka shakes his head, "Still, we need you. Hell, _I_ need you." His heart tightens as the realization dawns on him. _And here I thought it was just physical. Just Zuko being stupidly hot. But he's also selfless, powerful, smart and sarcastic... fuck, I think I have it bad for him._ He releases Zuko's hand and threads his wet one through his hair, untangling a few strands from his wolftail. "I'm such an idiot", he murmurs. "We were so busy with the war I didn't even realize I was falling for you... This is stupid, we should be celebrating Ozai's defeat instead of brooding..." He exhales a chuckle. "Hey, and brooding's more in _your_ department anyway..." _I like that sulky face of yours,_ _I wanna see it_ _again_ _._ _Damn, I really have it bad._

Knocks on the door echo in the almost empty room.

"Come in", Sokka says after straightening a little and wiping his wet eyes.

Suki opens the door and timidly comes in. As she walks towards the boys, she quietly says, "We agreed to take turns to watch him. I'll be up next whenever you want to rest."

"Thanks", Sokka numbly answers.

"How are you doing ?", she softly asks as she sits on Katara's former chair.

"I just started my round of watch, I'm not tired yet-"

"That's not what I meant, Sokka." She takes his hand, caresses his palm with the pad of her thumb. "You know you can talk to me."

 _Right, we're friends. Who used to date, kinda. Oh, face the truth, Sokka, she's a lesbian and you're a bi currently falling for a guy._ "Why is it so hard ?", he asks then. " To realize how much I like him _now_ ?"

Suki offers him a one armed-hug, mindful of his broken leg. She sighs. "You can sort this all out when he wakes up."

"Do you think he-" He sighs. "Um, nevermind."

She has a soft look. "Ask him, not me", she teases gently.

"Yeah, you're right." An awkward chuckle escapes Sokka. "Isn't this weird that I'm talking about this with you ?"

Suki shrugs, "Not really, we've always been open about our feelings and I don't see why it should stop. We're friends, remember ?"

"Yeah, and I'm glad to have you. Thanks, Suki", he says genuinely.

She gets up from the chair and quietly leaves the room.

Sokka's left in silence once more and he gets back to observing Zuko's chest rise and fall as he softly breathes. His eyes wander to the firebender's face, water at the sight of dark circles under Zuko's closed eyes, skin and lips paler than usual. "Please, wake up..."

 

* * *

 

Zuko comes to during one of Aang's watch.

The young Avatar bursts out of the room with tears of joy streaming down his face as he exclaims, "He's awake !"

Sokka all but barges in, slamming the door open and almost tripping over his crutch. Nevertheless, he walks to Zuko and sits near him. "Hey, you're okay", he softly says, more to reassure himself than as a question. "How are you feeling ?"

"Old", Zuko's voice comes out as a raspy whisper.

The Water Tribe teen can't help a chuckle. "Good, you're still sarcastic."

"Feel tired and sore", the firebender further explains.

"Well, you did take a lightning blow from Azula, so that's something to be expected."

"Yeah", he exhales, looking to the side. "How's your sister ?", he asks after a short while, stiffening.

"She defeated Azula, she's resting for now..." Remembering Zuko doesn't know about the outcome of the war, he adds, "And Aang did something amazing, he took Ozai's bending away ! We won the war, buddy."

Zuko relaxes in the water and a crooked smile appears at the corner of his lips. "That's a good thing. I didn't even know it was possible to take someone's bending away..."

"Apparently it's an Avatar thing, you know, magic stuff", Sokka waves.

Zuko lightly chuckles.

Sokka's heart swells at seeing the faintest trace of joy on the firebender's face.

Katara enters the room, shortly followed by the rest of the gaang. She sits near Sokka and smiles at Zuko, glad he's awake, at last.

"You took your time, Sparky, almost got us worried here", Toph says as she earthbends herself an extra seat.

Suki perks in, "We're all glad that you're okay."

Zuko smiles at being surrounded by his friends, glad to have them all around him as he stirs up from a painful slumber. He sits in the bathtub, legs still weak for not having being used for days. He glances around and says, "Thanks for being here, all of you."

Sokka pats him on the shoulder, relieved and smiling. "Welcome home, buddy."


End file.
